10 Games Optimized for the iPhone 5 Display

We're all excited to see how our favorite apps are transformed on the new iPhone 5 display, whether it's seeing more tweets or emails on one screen, or getting a wider look at a map. But some of the biggest enhancements may come from the top games on the platform, which will now have an extra half-inch of height or width (depending on orientation) to play with for better viewpoints or refined interfaces. Dozens of top games have already been updated with iPhone 5 support, and surely scads more will be in the coming weeks. We've picked through the lists to spotlight 10 of the most notable iPhone 5-ready games for early adopters to check out, though please excuse the screens below -- like you, we're counting the minutes until our fateful deliveries arrive!

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iPhone 5-Ready Games

The massive Mac and PC sensation came to iPhone last year as Minecraft - Pocket Edition ($6.99), and while the initial release seemed a little short on content, it's been steadily expanded since. With the iPhone 5 screen, you'll be able to see more and more pixel-packed blocks as you build your own fantastical structures, fight off monsters, and explore the terrain.

Temple Run (Free) has become one of the go-to free offerings on seemingly every mobile device, and the forward-sprinting affair has been updated to take advantage of the iPhone 5's taller display. It probably won't make a huge difference in terms of gameplay, but if it allows you to see even a step or two further ahead, it'll be well worth the enhancement.

We haven't yet had a chance to explore the world of Lili ($4.99), which just launched on the App Store, but ever since seeing it at the iPhone 5 keynote, we've been anxious to give it a shot. Lili is an original affair that blends adventure and role-playing elements with stunning visuals, and it's sure to look especially wonderful on the iPhone 5.

Just released a couple weeks back, Wild Blood ($6.99) is Gameloft's first Unreal Engine-powered affair, and the result is a gorgeous hack-and-slash affair that's larger in scope than the average iOS adventure. And now the action will be quite literally larger on the iPhone 5 screen, letting you take in even more of the sights as you pummel foes.

One of the App Store's biggest free-to-play sensations, Tiny Tower (Free), has been updated to show even more floors and "bitizens" on the iPhone 5 display. As ever, the goal remains the same: build your tower skyward, fill it with well-stocked stores, and make sure the little people are pleased. Oh, and overtake your friends' puny skyscrapers, of course.

Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy ($2.99) is an entertaining and very well-executed combat flight simulator for iPhone and iPad that includes a solid single-player campaign, electric online battles, and even cross-play support with the Mac App Store version. It's a looker on the iPhone 4S, so it's bound to be even slicker on the wider iPhone 5 display.

It's featured on the iPhone 5 website, so it better be compatible! SpellTower ($1.99) actually just got the bump this morning, and one of the ways it takes advantage of the larger screen is the new "iPad Puzzle Mode," which offers a larger grid that now also works on iPhone 5. With iCloud, you can sync games between devices that support the mode.

Asphalt 7: Heat ($0.99) may be the latest in a long line of arcade-style racers from Gameloft, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable -- especially at this lowered price point. It's a sleek and accessible affair packed with licensed cars and online antics, and as a showcase title on existing iOS platforms, it's sure to be quite sharp on the iPhone 5, as well.

An adorable puzzler built on the challenging real-life scenario of properly packing grocery sacks, Bag It! HD ($2.99) serves up cartoonish versions of watermelons, milk cartons, and bread loaves (with faces, no less) and tasks you with creating the best arrangement. Instead of black borders, you'll see more of the colorful action on the iPhone 5

The video game equivalent of those little plastic finger-bikes, Touchgrind BMX ($4.99) lets you command a cycle with a couple of fingers, moving and swiping as needed to navigate difficult terrain and pull off amazing tricks. It's a tricky game to master, so even the extra half-inch on the iPhone 5 display will no doubt be a helpful boost for your fingers!